A Mark of Quality for Varanasi Saris

Champagne, Darjeeling tea, Parma ham… and now Banarsi saris are joining the league of quality products that are recognised with a Geographical Indicator.

After eight years of working with our partner HWA, to obtain a Geographical Indicator, FYF is delighted that our campaign has succeeded and the handloom silk weavers of Varanasi will have the chance to build a more secure livelihood.

Lost in a global jungle

In the holy city of Varanasi, handloom weavers produce the Banarsi sari and brocade, famous throughout the world for its distinct qualities.

However, these traditional artisans’ livelihoods were being threatened by the flood onto the market of mass-produced saris.

Marketed as authentic hand-woven Banarsi saris this had driven down the price of saris. Weavers were faced with plummeting incomes; earning just 60-75p a day.

Unable to earn enough to support them and their families, many weavers were forced to abandon their traditional craft or sell their looms to moneylenders in return for high-interest loans. As a result moneylenders now own 85% of the looms in the area.

Read more about the plight of Varanasi’s handloom weavers in an article by Jaya Jaitly Lost in a Global Jungle

In the public eye

Over the past eight years, FYF has been working alongside weavers and our partner the Human Welfare Association (HWA) to ensure that the plight of the weavers remains on the government agenda and in the public eye.

A key aim of our project was to register handmade Banarsi silk with a geographical indication; a mark of quality with a reputation stemming from the place of origin (like “champagne” “stilton cheese” and “parma ham”).

We are delighted that this crucial development has recently taken place, ensuring a more secure livelihood for thousands of Banarsi silk weavers.

In an interview with the Times of India Dr Rajni Kant, the Director of our partner HWA said that this development would “benefit about 12,000,000 people associated directly or indirectly with the handloom silk industry” because it will create a unique, marketable brand name, reducing the threat from cheaper competition.

In the coming months, we will be working with HWA and the weavers' association Banaras Bunkar Samiti (BBS), which has been formed over the course of our project, to ensure the proper implementation of the GI so that thousands of handloom weavers benefit from this landmark achievement.

The HWA project featured in the Guardian International Development Journalism Competition. Read more.